It's a Beautiful Life, Rachel Goldstein
by Magika
Summary: One unexpected death, and Rachel's life is suddenly turned upside down
1. It's a Beautiful Life, Rachel Goldstein ...

This story is dedicated to: Rachael W. for being a wonderful writer and for introducing me to ratfic. Esme for her stories, her feedback and her websites. Amanda for being a sweetheart when we met in Sydney two years ago. Hope to see you again soon. Nikki for just being funny and always giving feedback - and by the way, you still owe me that shopping spree we never got to do in Sydney. Camilla for copying and taping episodes whenever I needed her to - du skal få boka di tilbake en dag. To all the other ratfans out there for. well, for being a fan. And finally to Colin and Catherine, for being who they are. Enjoy.  
  
~~~  
  
It's a Beautiful Life, Rachel Goldstein  
  
by Hilde  
  
~~~  
  
It was Tuesday morning in Sydney, Australia. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and it was in the middle of the spring. It was a perfect day. Or at least it should have been. But Detective Senior Constable Rachel Goldstein had a feeling something was about to happen. Something she didn't approve of. As she entered the Sydney Water Police station, she was greeted by everyone of the other officers she met. Rachel 'Goldie' Goldstein was well known within the Water Police for her excellent work and her extraordinary ability of finding the answers no one else had. She had been a cop since she was 19, and she was damned good at it, too. Cold and calculating, always in control. She loved her job, and it loved her back. Her personal life was a mess, though. Divorced from a big-time lawyer, Jonathon Goldstein, with whom she had a beautiful son, David. 'The only good thing that came out of our relationship,' Rachel used to think. She was very bitter at Jonathon, had been ever since he got custody of David due to Rachel's total lack of knowledge in court. The court decided David would be better off with his wealthy father than with his mother, who lived on a slim cop's wages in the suburb of King's Cross. Rachel would never forgive that court, or that bastard Jonathon. But she had gotten over it now, as much as she could get over it. Although she got to see way too little of her son, she had her job and was quite happy with her life. But there was something strange about this Tuesday. A weird light was laying over the city, but Rachel couldn't figure out what was wrong. She just knew something was.  
  
~~~  
  
"G'day, Rachel!" her partner, Senior Detective Frank Holloway grinned when she entered their office. Frank in a good mood at this time of day. Something was definitely wrong.  
  
Rachel sighed and sat down behind her desk. She tried to shake off the odd feeling, but it didn't work. Funny. She never used to have premonitions. So why now?  
  
"Hello, Earth to Rachel, can you hear me?"  
  
"Huh?" Rachel turned to Frank with a confused look. "Did you say something?"  
  
"Aren't you entirely waken yet?" Frank asked teasingly. "Ah, I see. Late night last night, hey?"  
  
"Frank, I." Rachel didn't get to say any more before she was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Come in!" she said loudly, annoyed by the interruption.  
  
Tayler stuck her head in. "Excuse me. Eh, Rachel, Hawker wants to see you in his office immediately."  
  
Rachel sighed heavily and got up from her chair. "Right. Thanks, Tayler."  
  
Tayler nodded and left the office.  
  
When Rachel reached the Chief Inspector's office, she discovered that Sergeant Helen Blakemore was there too. "Hi, Helen," she said, then turned to Jeff. "So, what's up?"  
  
Jeff and Helen looked at each other, then Jeff motioned for Rachel to sit down. "There is something you need to know," he said with a serious face.  
  
Rachel sent both him and Helen a puzzled look, before she sat down in the chair in front of Jeff's desk. "What's going on?" she asked curiously.  
  
Jeff once again glanced over at Helen before taking a deep breath. "Rachel, we just heard..." he started.  
  
"Heard what?" Rachel asked impatiently.  
  
"It's about your ex-husband." Jeff paused again.  
  
So that was what was wrong with this day. The mentioning of Jonathon's name. "Ah, yeah? What's he done this time?"  
  
Jeff decided to just go ahead with it, and looked Rachel straight in the eyes as he said: "Jonathon Goldstein was found in his bathroom last night - dead."  
  
~~~  
  
It took a few seconds before Rachel was able to speak. That was the last thing she had ever expected from Jonathon. Not sure if Jeff had actually said what she thought he had, she cleared her voice slightly. "What?"  
  
Helen gently put her hand on Rachel's arm, offering support if she needed it. "The housekeeper found him yesterday evening," she informed a still stunned Rachel.  
  
Rachel nodded, trying to let the information sink in. She turned to Jeff again. "So he's dead, huh?" She couldn't quite believe it. Her ex-husband was never a saint, and although she had wished him to a much warmer place several times, she had never wanted him dead.  
  
"Yes," Jeff nodded. "He's dead."  
  
"But how?" Rachel asked. "It wasn't murder, was it?" She wouldn't be surprised if anyone had killed him. Jonathon had a certain way of getting on the wrong foot with people.  
  
"The investigating officers have ruled that out," Jeff replied. "By the looks of it, he slipped on a piece of soap, fell and hit his head on the corner of the sink. He died momentarily."  
  
Rachel couldn't help but laugh. Of all the stupid things that bastard had done, this had to be the worst.  
  
"Rachel." she heard Helen's voice behind her.  
  
"Yeah, sorry," she sighed. "I just. Don't feel anything." Then a thought suddenly hit her. "David!" she exclaimed. "Does he know? Where is he?" Rachel was angry with herself for not thinking of her son at once. He lived with his father because of her stupidity in court, and most of the time she didn't know where he was or what he was doing. What would happen to him, now that his father was dead?  
  
"David was staying with a friend overnight. Jonathon was supposed to pick him up this afternoon," Helen replied.  
  
"Does he know about his father?" Rachel asked anxiously. She didn't want a stranger to tell her son that his father was dead.  
  
"No." Helen paused for a second. "Jonathon's wife is taking this pretty badly. She told the police she wouldn't be able to face David just yet."  
  
Rachel grunted. "That'd be right. She never could stand him."  
  
"Yes, well. Since Jonathon had no living will, the authorities have agreed to leave David in your custody for the time being, until Jonathon's parents can be contacted. They're currently in Europe on holiday, and the police have been unable to reach them."  
  
"His parents?" Rachel questioned. "What have they got to do with my son?"  
  
"Since they are Jonathon's closest family after his wife, they might be applying for custody, assuming that the wife won't," Helen explained.  
  
"No way," Rachel said firmly. "I'm not letting them take my son away, not this time."  
  
"You'll have to be prepared for another day in court, Rachel." Helen watched her friend, whose anger seemed to rise to a dangerously high level.  
  
Jeff interrupted before the breakout came. "I'm sure you'll be contacted by the Goldsteins' attorney when they hear the news. But right now David can stay with you."  
  
Rachel sank back in her chair. Too many thought were swirling inside her head, and she felt emotionally exhausted. Just the thought of having to go through another battle for her son, made her feel weak. But this was one battle she had to win.  
  
"Go to your son, Rachel." Helen ordered her affectionately. "He needs you now."  
  
Rachel nodded and got up, ready to leave. Helen did the same.  
  
"Listen, you take the rest of the day off," Jeff suggested. "Take tomorrow too, take as long as you want," he added after a few seconds. "I think we can manage without you for the time being."  
  
"Thanks," Rachel said gratefully. "I think I'll take you up on that." She turned to Helen again. "Do you know the name of David's friend?"  
  
Helen handed her a piece of paper. "Here's the address," she said warmly, squeezing Rachel's hand softly. "Look, I know this won't sound appropriate, but... Good luck."  
  
Rachel managed to give her a little smile. "Thanks, Helen. I'll probably need it."  
  
~~~  
  
When Rachel entered the Taylor family's house, she was met by David and his friend Billy.  
  
"Mum!" David exclaimed and gave her a big hug.  
  
"Hi, sweetheart," Rachel said warmly and returned the hug. "How are you?"  
  
"Fine," David replied, and continued with a curios look: "Why didn't Dad come and get me?"  
  
"Daddy couldn't pick you up today, so you and I are going home to my place, and you can spend the night with me. Would you like that?" Rachel asked and looked down on her son.  
  
"Yeah!" he grinned widely.  
  
"Okay. Now go get your things and say goodbye to Billy," Rachel demanded. as Jane Taylor appeared in the doorway. "G'day, Jane."  
  
"Hello, Rachel," Jane said, extending her hand. "I heard about Jonathon." She hesitated. "I haven't said anything to David. I figured it should come from someone close to him."  
  
Rachel nodded. "Thanks," she said plainly, not bothering to explain what might happen the coming weeks. Jonathon was dead, that was all anyone needed to know.  
  
"Anyway," Jane went on as they heard David and Billy coming down the hallway. "Good luck."  
  
Rachel studied her for a moment. That was the second time someone had wished her luck that day. Somehow she figured luck wasn't what she needed right now.  
  
"Bye Billy! See ya tomorrow!" David waved at his friend, before he grabbed Rachel's hand and started dragging her down the front steps. "Let's go!" he stated firmly.  
  
Rachel had to smile. She would never forgive herself for letting Jonathon get custody of David, and with that nearly shutting him out of her life. She didn't get to see him much, and when she did, the job often got in the way. Maybe all that could change now, she thought as she and David got in the car.  
  
~~~  
  
Rachel stood in the doorway to her living room and silently watched David, who was sitting in front of the TV. She would have to tell him soon. The sooner, the better. She couldn't lie to him anymore, even if it was for only a few hours. She knew it would get more difficult by the minute. If she didn't tell him now, she would have to answer his question as to why she didn't say it at once. Oh God, this would be the hardest thing she had ever had to do in her life. She closed her eyes for a second, then decided now or never. She went over to the couch where David was sitting, and sat down beside him. "Hey," she said with a smile.  
  
"Hi," David replied without taking his eyes off the screen.  
  
"Listen, David..." she started, but trailed off. How do you tell a ten-year- old that his father is dead? David looked up at her with his big, brown eyes, and she saw herself in them. She couldn't turn back now. "Davey, there's something I have to tell you... Can we turn off the telly?" she asked, noticing that the sound distracted her.  
  
"But I'm watching." David objected, but went to turn it off anyway.  
  
"Thanks," Rachel said distantly. She waited until David had sat down beside her again, then she put her arm around his shoulders. "David." she started again. "Your father... Dad... He's not coming to get you tomorrow like I said."  
  
"Why not?" David asked, glancing puzzled at her.  
  
Oh, those eyes! Her heart reached out to him. She took a deep breath, and continued quietly. "He won't come and get you at all anymore. Your father's dead, David." She let her breath out.  
  
David just looked at her with eyes that didn't understand.  
  
Rachel felt the tears burning in her eyes. "Sweetheart, do you understand what I'm saying? He won't come back." Was she getting through to him? She watched his eyes fill with tears, and she knew he understood. She felt a sudden pain in her chest as the tears streamed down David's cheeks.  
  
"Never?" David asked with a whisper Rachel could barely hear.  
  
"Never," she had to tell him, although she knew he knew the answer. Her eyes floated over, and she grabbed David and pressed him into her chest as hard as she dared. She felt they sat like that for ever, crying silently in each others arms, mother and son.  
  
~~~  
  
Two and a half hour later Rachel quietly closed the door to David's bedroom. He was fast asleep, completely exhausted. Rachel was pretty far down herself. They had been crying for about an hour, without a word. They just sat there, holding round each other, while letting their hearts cry out. David's because he would never see his father again, and Rachel's because she couldn't bare to see her son hurt like that. Eventually the crying seized, and they had started talking. Rachel tried to comfort David and answer his questions as best she could. At last David was totally worn out, and he had fallen asleep in Rachel's lap. She put him to bed, and when she tucked him in, she realised how much he meant to her. She didn't understand how she could have let Jonathon just take him like that. But she was busy with her job, and she knew her anger towards Jonathon shadowed her love for David. Oh, how she regretted everything! She wondered what would happen to David now. The Child Welfare was bound to be involved, they had probably been contacted by the local police. Would they let her have him this time? They had to. She was his mother, damn it! He couldn't be taken away from her again. He just couldn't. Rachel felt her head spinning, and she decided to go to bed too. She was getting a headache, and felt exhausted. She barely made it to her bedroom, before she was overwhelmed by a dark, dreamless sleep. 


	2. It's a Beautiful Life, Rachel Goldstein ...

Details and disclaimer given in part 1.

~~~  
It's a Beautiful Life, Rachel Goldstein  
by Hilde  
~~~  
  
Part 2  
~~~  
  
David didn't say much the next day. Neither did Rachel. She tried to start a conversation, but only got one word sentences in reply. She just didn't know what to say to him. She knew they should be talking about it, it wasn't good to shut it away. But she felt she didn't have the strength to go through last night again. Not yet. So she tried to avoid the subject after a while. She knew that wasn't right either, but it couldn't be helped. It would have to wait.  
  
Just after breakfast the telephone rang. David rushed to get it, still hoping that it would be his father. Rachel saw his disappointed look as he got back and announced it was for her. She ran a hand through his hair on her way out in the hall. "Goldstein," she said into the receiver.  
  
"Rachel, it's Helen," she heard her friend's voice. "Look, I'm terribly sorry for having to do this, but we need you back at work as soon as possible."  
  
"What!?" Rachel sighed heavily. "Can't you manage without me?"  
  
"I wish we could," Helen replied honestly. "But this is a small crisis, and we really need you here."  
  
"Oh, Helen. I was hoping to spend some time with my son!" Rachel complained.  
  
"I know, and I'm sorry. But it's not my call," Helen told her. "How is he?" she added, referring to David.  
  
"I think he's accepted it," Rachel replied. "But he's not saying much. He's still in shock."  
  
"It's so sad when these things happen," Helen said quietly, then raised her voice a little. "Are you coming in?"  
  
Rachel sighed again. "Yeah, sure. If you can't do it without me."  
  
"I'm really sorry, Rach," Helen excused herself again.  
  
"Yeah, yeah. I'll be there in half an hour," Rachel told her and hung up. Deep inside she was actually glad Helen called. She was obviously not getting through to David, and she needed to get it on a distance, get her mind settled on something else. Suddenly she realised how she really felt, and she could have kicked herself for even thinking the thought. But she had to admit it - it was the truth.  
  
~~~  
  
Twenty five minutes later Rachel arrived at the station after letting David off with her father. Felix loved his grandson very much, and never turned down Rachel's request for 'babysitting,' something Rachel often took advantage of. She didn't know how many times she had left David with his grandfather while she went to work. Like now. Funny, really. How she managed to forget about her other problems when she was working. Maybe that was why she took her job so seriously. It made a good excuse for not thinking of her personal life.  
  
Rachel went out of her car and entered the station. She was met by Frank in the stairs, just on his way to Hawker's office.  
  
"G'day, Rachel," he said with a smile as usually, but Rachel noticed that the smile didn't reach his eyes.  
  
"Hi, Frank. Something wrong?" she asked as if she didn't know the answer.  
  
Frank looked surprised. "No, no, nothing's wrong. I just thought." He trailed off.  
  
"Don't think, Holloway," Rachel said firmly. "It doesn't suit you. Now, what's the big emergency?" she asked before Frank got to answer her remark.  
  
"Jeff's waiting for us in his office," Frank replied as they walked up the stairs. "He'll fill you in."  
  
~~~  
  
"Rachel, thanks for coming in at such short notice," Jeff said when Rachel and Frank entered the Chief Inspector's office. Helen was already there.  
  
"Yeah, no problem," Rachel replied lightly, realising that it really was no problem. She forced herself to shove the thought away. She was here to work, not examine her personal feelings. "What's this all about?" she asked, wanting to get her mind settled on something else.  
  
Jeff gestured for her and Frank to sit down, and then started talking. There was a body been found at Elizabeth Bay that morning. It was a woman in her early thirties, no ID. She had probably drowned, but they couldn't be sure until they got the autopsy report, which, by the way, should be finished soon. Maybe Frank and Rachel would go down to the morgue and check it out?  
  
"Yeah, sure," Frank nodded. "Anything else we ought to know?"  
  
"Nope, that's all we've got so far," Helen told him.  
  
"Not much to work with," Rachel commented.  
  
"No, but I believe it's your job to find the clues?" Jeff sent her a meaningful gaze, and she nodded.  
  
"We're on our way. You coming, Frank?"  
  
"You betcha."  
  
~~~  
  
"Oh, there's no point in this!" Rachel exclaimed annoyed. "We're not getting anywhere." She tossed the file she was going through down on her desk and closed her eyes.  
  
Chopper Lewis down at the morgue couldn't tell the detectives anything more than that the girl had been dead for about 48 hours, and that she was hit in the back of her head, but the cause of death was drowning. He guessed she had been hit unconscious and then dumped in the harbour, where she drowned before she could get out of the water. She also had red marks around her wrists, indicating that she had been tied up for a while. But they found nothing on her that could tell them who she was, no papers, cards or photos. Frank and Rachel had to go back to the station and start going through the missing persons files, to see if she was reported missing in the last few weeks. But they had went through all the files without luck, and Rachel was starting to get restless. She hated it when they got stuck like this.  
  
"I agree," Frank sighed from behind his desk. "We have absolutely nothing."  
  
Rachel opened her eyes again and glared out the window. What could they do? It was getting late too, and she decided to call it a day. Besides, she wanted to pick up David and have a quiet night at home. She got up from her chair as she said to Frank: "I'm heading home now. No point in staying here any longer."  
  
"Yeah, you're right," Frank replied and got up too. "I think I'll go home as well."  
  
They were just about to walk out the door when Helen suddenly barged in. "And where do you think you're going?" she asked, glancing from Rachel to Frank and back to Rachel again.  
  
"Home," Rachel replied lightly. "There's nothing more we can do today, we're totally stuck."  
  
"Well, now you've got something more to think about," Helen told them, and paused for a second when she saw the puzzled looks on the Detectives' faces. "There's been found another body at Elizabeth Bay."  
  
Frank and Rachel looked at each other. They were both thinking the same. A coincidence? Or a serial killer? Neither of them really believed the first one.  
  
"Oh, great," Rachel muttered. "OK, let's go down there," she said to Frank. "Let me just call my father first and tell him I won't be home yet."  
  
Frank nodded. "I'll wait for you downstairs," he said, leaving the office with Helen following behind.  
  
Rachel went over to the phone and dialled her father's number. David answered. "Hi, sweetie," Rachel said softly. "Listen, I won't be home for a while yet. I have to stay at work a bit longer. But you and Grandpa are fine, aren't you?"  
  
"Yeah," she heard David's disappointed voice in the other end. "When will you come and get me then?" he asked eagerly.  
  
"I don't know yet, honey. It may take a while. I'll call you later, OK?"  
  
"OK," David muttered. "Bye."  
  
"Bye, sweetheart," Rachel replied, but David had already hung up. She felt awful for letting him down like that, but it wasn't the first time. He'd be alright with her father. Besides, she was needed at work. Again she shoved all her dark thoughts to the back of her head, and went downstairs to catch up with Frank.  
  
~~~  
  
The new body didn't reveal anything more than the other one. This too was a woman around thirty, with no wallet, papers or other ID. The coroner estimated the body to have been in the water for 15-20 hours. He couldn't tell them more until the autopsy was done.  
  
Rachel was starting to get frustrated. "Hell," she told Frank in the car back to the station. "How are we gonna find something to work with?"  
  
Frank just shook his head, and the rest of the drive was in complete silence.  
  
When they entered the station, Helen told them that a certain Mrs. Ashley Rowan was waiting in their office. Rachel and Frank glanced at each other and went up the stairs to the Detectives' office.  
  
Mrs. Rowan was standing in front of the window, staring out on the harbour. She turned around when she noticed Frank and Rachel coming into the room, and measured both of them with her eyes. She had grey, almost white, short hair, and she was rather tall for her age. Frank assumed she was somewhere around sixty.  
  
"Hello, Mrs. Rowan," Rachel said and held out her hand. "I'm Rachel Goldstein, this is my partner, Frank Holloway." She nodded over to Frank.  
  
Mrs. Rowan shook her hand quietly, and turned to the window again.  
  
Rachel sent Frank a puzzled look, then asked: "Is there anything we can do for you, Mrs. Rowan?"  
  
Mrs. Rowan slowly turned around to face her, and Rachel saw the sadness in her eyes. Finally, she spoke. "My daughter is gone. I can't find her. And I heard about the body from Elizabeth Bay on the news..." Her voice trailed off, but Rachel and Frank had already understood what she was thinking.  
  
"I see." Frank started. He went over to his desk and opened his drawer while asking: "How long has your daughter been missing?"  
  
"I'm not sure." the old woman told him. "I haven't seen her since last Thursday. She always comes to dinner at my place on Sundays, but not this time. I went over to her yesterday, but no one was home. Oh God, she can't be dead!"  
  
Rachel put her arms around the woman and told her to sit down. "We need you to identify the body," she said after Mrs. Rowan had sat down in a chair. Frank gave her a picture of the dead girl, and Rachel showed it to Mrs. Rowan. "Is this your daughter?" she asked softly.  
  
Mrs. Rowan stared at the picture, and her face went pale. "Yes," she whispered. "Yes, that's my Claire."  
  
"Mhm," Rachel muttered to herself, and quietly told Frank to take over the rest of the formalities, while she went to find Helen. Frank nodded reluctantly, and Rachel left the office.  
  
When she came back ten minutes later, Mrs. Rowan was gone, and Frank was sitting behind his desk, looking rather impatient. "It wasn't very nice of you to leave me alone with a grieving mother," he said sarcastically as she entered the room.  
  
"I know," she replied, "But we're in a hurry now. If we're dealing with a serial killer, which we probably are, then we don't have much time until he strikes again. And I'd like to prevent that," she stated firmly, and let no room for discussion.  
  
Frank didn't bother to answer, and changed the subject. "What do you have on this Claire?" he asked, still a bit miffed.  
  
Rachel decided to ignore the tone of his voice, because she knew this wasn't the time to argue. She opened the file she had brought with her, and started reading. "Claire Rowan, age 33, divorced, one child in custody with its father, bank employee, no close family besides her mother, no record with the police. An exemplary citizen, I guess." She handed the file over to Frank, who scanned through it.  
  
"Well," he sighed as he put the file in his drawer and stretched his arms up in the air. "We're not gonna get any closer before we find out who the other body is, so we may as well call it a day, what do you say?"  
  
"Yeah, you're right," Rachel agreed and started tidying her desk.  
  
"You wanna take a beer at the Cutter Bar before going home?" Frank suggested, and Rachel nodded.  
  
"Yeah, sure." Then she suddenly remembered David, and told Frank that she probably shouldn't. But after thing a few seconds she made a hasty decision, and picked up the phone to call her dad. She was sure he wouldn't mind having David over the night. And Rachel really didn't feel like talking about death to a ten-year-old boy tonight. She was beat, and all she wanted was to relax and enjoy a beer and Frank's company.  
  
Of course Felix didn't mind, just as she had predicted, and soon she and Frank were on their way out of the station.  
  
~~~  
  
Rachel didn't get much sleep that night. Her head was full of thoughts concerning the case, and she hated being stuck like this. But the main reason was David. She felt guilty about leaving him with her father when he needed her the most. But she really didn't feel up to dealing with Jonathon's death just yet. She tried to convince herself that David would be fine with Felix, and that it was actually more important to catch this killer before another body appeared.  
  
She almost succeeded. But not quite.  
  
~~~  
End Part 2  
~~~

[ [Part 3][1] ]

   [1]: beautifullife3.htm



	3. It's a Beautiful Life, Rachel Goldstein ...

Details and disclaimer given in part 1.  
  
~~~  
It's a Beautiful Life, Rachel Goldstein  
by Hilde  
~~~  
  
Part 3  
~~~  
  
The first thing Rachel really remembered doing the next morning, was literally running into Frank at the station. She hadn't fallen asleep until four thirty last night, and she was tired. Dead tired. But somehow she had managed to get to work on time, and she was actually surprised that she hadn't driven off the road.  
  
"Hey, you still asleep?" Frank asked softly as he grabbed her before she fell in the collision.  
  
"What? No, no, I'm not," Rachel replied lightly, and took a deep breath. "Where are you going in such a hurry?"  
  
"Elizabeth's Bay."  
  
"Oh, no. Don't tell me. Another body?"  
  
"Yup," Frank nodded.  
  
Rachel sighed loudly. What a way to start a Thursday morning. "Righto. Let's get moving."  
  
Frank glanced sideways at her on their way out to the car park. "You know, you really look a mess."  
  
"Oh, thanks a lot!"  
  
"Why don't you let me drive, just to be sure?" he continued. It was worth a shot.  
  
Rachel just sent him one of those Looks. Right. Maybe next time.  
  
~~~  
  
"Hey, here's a match!" Frank exclaimed relieved, glad to finally have found what he was looking for.  
  
"Yeah? Who is she?" Rachel asked, just as relieved.  
  
They had been going through the missing persons files *again*, since the newly found body was just like the others; no ID, no papers, no nothing. Up until now they had been searching in darkness, and they didn't really believe they would find a match to the young woman who had drowned during that night.  
  
Rachel closed the file she was reading, and leaned back in her chair.  
  
"Amanda Barker, 26 years old, went missing from her home last Tuesday," Frank quoted.  
"Hmm. Nice girl," he muttered, closely studying her picture.  
  
"You sure it's her?" Rachel couldn't quite believe they had identified her that soon.  
  
"Absolutely," Frank replied determined.  
  
"Alright. Now we need to find the connection between her and Claire Rowan. If there is any," she added with a sigh.  
  
"Couldn't we get anyone else to do that for us?" Frank suggested smugly. "Helen or someone?"  
  
Rachel grinned. "Oh, yeah. Helen's gonna love that one, Frank," she said wryly.  
  
"Well, suit yourself," Frank replied lightly. "If you wanna spend the rest of the day with your nose in a file, that's just fine."  
  
"No, no, you're right. You go and convince her."  
  
"And what'll you do?" Frank asked suspiciously.  
  
"I'll wait," Rachel replied with a teasing smile.  
  
~~~  
  
Half an hour later Helen Blakemore barged into the Detectives' office without knocking. "Hey guys, I found it," she announced, closing the door behind her.  
  
"Really?" Rachel asked curiously. "What've you got?" She was a bit surprised that Frank managed to talk Helen into checking the files for them, but she had half expected it. Frank always got what he wanted with women. And he and Helen had known each other for a long time, and had always been on 'sweet pumpkin' terms.  
  
"Amanda Barker and Claire Rowan both have children," Helen told them as she tossed a few files onto Frank's desk.  
  
"A lot of people have children, Helen," Rachel reminded her dryly, thinking of her own for a moment. He was probably waiting for her to come home soon.  
  
"Yes, but not everyone has lost custody of their child to the father in a court room."  
  
Rachel frowned at Helen's words. Were they meant for her? "What're you talking about?" she asked defensively.  
  
Helen looked at her, as if reading her thoughts. "I'm talking about the fact that both Amanda and Claire had lost the battle of custody of their children. Claire had a son, but the father won custody because he didn't have 300 travelling days a year. Claire Rowan was a foreign correspondent for the SMH," she explained, and continued: "Amanda Barker had a daughter with an administrator of one of Australia's largest computer firms, and naturally he got custody when they split up."  
  
"And that's the only connection between them?" Rachel asked slowly, feeling that this case was getting too personal. She had experienced the exact same thing herself, and it was not what she needed at the moment.  
  
"The only one I can find," Helen replied, trying to sound casual. She knew what was going on inside Rachel's mind, what she was thinking of, and didn't want to make it too heavy.  
  
"So you think he's going after young women who's lost custody of their kids?" Frank asked a bit doubtingly. "Why the hell would he do that?"  
  
Helen looked at him. "There are a lot of sickos out there, Frank."  
  
Frank nodded. That was true. The fact that someone actually killed people proved that. But why divorced women whose kids lived with their father? It didn't make sense. Suddenly a thought hit him, and he gasped in surprise. Rachel and Helen glanced puzzled at him.  
  
"What?" Rachel asked curiously.  
  
"Ah, nothin'," Frank said, a little too quickly. "I just remembered I have a dentist appointment in ten minutes. Sorry ladies, gotta go." He grabbed his jacket and before Helen or Rachel could say anything, he was out of the room.  
  
Rachel stared unbelievingly at Helen. "He just ran away. Can you believe that?" she asked in exasperation.  
  
"Actually, no," Helen replied calmly. But then again, you never can tell with Frank, she thought to herself. Aloud she said: "Well, I've got work to do, and I believe you have too?"  
  
"Yeah, but." Rachel started, but Helen interrupted her.  
  
"Don't worry. Frank'll be back soon," Helen assured her, and leaving a blank Rachel behind, she hurried out the door. She suddenly knew why Frank had left so abruptly, and she fully understood him. Now she just needed to find him.  
  
~~~  
  
"Rachel will never agree to this, you know that?" Jeff Hawker glanced at Helen and Frank, who was standing in front of his desk.  
  
"Probably not, but." Helen started, and was interrupted by Frank.  
  
"She'll just have to accept it," he said firmly. "Being a divorced mum with her kid in custody with the father, Rachel may be in danger too!"  
  
"Fine," Jeff shrugged. "If you think you can convince her, be my guest. I don't want her hurt either. But I think you have one hell of a job ahead of you."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Frank said, waving his hand. He knew Jeff was right. Rachel most likely would never approve of their plan. But he had to talk her into it. "I'll go talk to her," he said, leaving the Chief Inspector's office.  
  
~~~  
  
Frank hated it when Rachel stared at him like that. That Look meant there was absolutely no hope of getting her to go along with it.  
  
"What?!" she finally exclaimed in disbelief. "No way, Frank! I don't need that. I definitely don't need that!"  
  
"Yes, you do!" Frank objected, almost regretting proposing the idea to her. "It's for your own good!"  
  
Rachel let out a little laugh. "Frank, I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I don't need a babysitter!" She glanced at him with a meaningful look. "Besides," she added. "Who would be stupid enough to mess with me? I'm a cop, for crying out loud!"  
  
"Still, I think you should let me stay with you," Frank said in an entreating voice. "Just to be on the safe side."  
  
"No!" Rachel let no room for discussion. "Imagine David if I came home with you and told him you were going to stay with us because you were afraid that I'd get killed! Forget it, Frank. It won't happen." And with those words she got up from her chair, marched passed him and disappeared into the hall.  
  
Frank shrugged, and cried after her: "Well, don't say I didn't warn you!"  
  
Out in the hall, Rachel litterally ran into Helen, who just happened to stand outside the office door at the very minute Rachel barged out. It didn't take Rachel too much effort to figure out why. "I didn't think you were the eavesdropping type, Helen," she remarked wryly, before continuing down the hall.  
  
Helen followed her, not bothering to make excuses. "Well, I think Frank's right. You shouldn't be left alone now, you never know what might happen."  
  
"Oh, not you too!" Rachel sighed. "I don't need a baby-sitter!"  
  
Helen grabbed Rachel by the arm and dragged her into the meal room. "Look Rachel," she said intently, "We're worried about you, that's all. We just don't want anything to happen to you!"  
  
"Neither do I!" Rachel replied. "But you know Frank and I can't live together. We'd end up killing each other!"  
  
"No, you won't," Helen assured her. "You're too fond of each other to do that," she smiled.  
  
"Helen- " Rachel started, but got interrupted.  
  
"Look. The way I see it, you've got two options. Either Frank moves in with you." Helen hesitated for a second. "Or you move in with Frank!"  
  
"What?" Rachel stared at her in disbelief. "No no no no, that's totally out of the question," she said firmly. The thought of living in Frank's house for more than a couple of hours was horrifying. She'd probably drown in all his mess!  
  
"Well, then," Helen smiled. "I'm glad we agree!" She waltzed out of the meal room, leaving a stunned Rachel behind.  
  
"No, Helen, I'm *not* letting Frank stay with me!" she called after her, but Helen only waved at her. "Helen, I'm not! Helen!"  
  
~~~  
  
Rachel sat in front of the TV, staring blankly into it without really noticing what she was watching. That day had been just as bad as the two before, and she was starting to get sick of the whole thing; the case, Jonathon's death and a son who refused to talk to her. When she had picked him up at her father's house after work, he hadn't even wanted to go with her. He was angry, and most of all disappointed in her, and she knew that. But she just wasn't the emotional type, and it wasn't easy for her to talk about what had happened. She remembered the look Felix sent her when she left with David, a look saying 'watch it, or you'll lose him again.' She knew he was right. But the job was such a good excuse not to confront the whole thing. David had eaten and then gone to bed, and Rachel was left in the lounge, knowing far too well that she should have gone after him. But she didn't.  
  
And then there was this case. Even though she would rather deal with dead bodies and serial killers than her own feelings, it could get a bit frustrating at times. Like now. They hardly had anything to work with, and in addition Frank and Helen were convinced that she was in danger too. Luckily she had managed to sneak out of the station without either of them noticing, if not, they had probably convinced her she needed Frank to look after her. Bullshit, she thought, but something deep inside her wasn't that sure. They had managed to put a fright in her, and it couldn't be ignored. Great. 'Thanks a lot, guys,' she thought annoyed. 'Just the thing I needed. A maniac out to kill me.'  
  
And as if that wasn't enough, she had received a letter from the Child Welfare that afternoon, saying that they had to look into her case, and that she wasn't sure to get full custody. It was all just too much to swallow at once.  
  
~~~  
End Part 3  
~~~

[ [Part 4][1] ]

   [1]: beautifullife4.htm



	4. It's a Beautiful Life, Rachel Goldstein ...

Finally, here's another part! Thanks to Esme for beta reading for me!  
  
Details & disclaimer given in part 1.  
  
~~~  
It's a Beautiful Life, Rachel Goldstein  
by Hilde  
~~~  
  
Part 4  
~~~  
  
She wasn't sure of what had woken her, but suddenly all her senses were on  
guard. The house was quiet and dark, only the sounds of cars and people from  
the street could be heard. She waited a few moments, but nothing happened.  
It had probably just been her imagination running wild.  
  
Rachel sighed, and lay back on her bed. She was just about to fall asleep,  
when she sat up with a jerk. This time she hadn't been imagining. There was  
someone downstairs.  
  
Quickly she got up, threw a robe over her shoulders and grabbed the nearest  
heavy object she could find; a brass candlestick from her bedside table.  
Carefully, and as quiet as a mouse, she tiptoed out of her bedroom and to  
the top of the stairs. There she stopped to listen for a second, but  
everything was silent. Slowly she started down the stairs, with a firm grip  
on the candlestick. Nearly down, she heard a loud thump from the living  
room, and someone cursing annoyed.  
  
Rachel took the remaining steps in one big jump, and ran towards the living  
room, just in time to see the front door close and a shadow disappearing  
down the steps. She hurried over to open the door, but there was no one  
outside when she reached it. The night was as calm as if nothing had  
happened, not even a car was in sight. Rachel took a deep breath to calm  
herself, and went back inside. She closed and locked the door carefully,  
then she suddenly remembered David. If something had happened to him, she  
could never forgive herself.  
  
Hurrying up the stairs, she said a silent prayer that he was alright.  
Opening the door to his room, she heaved a sigh of relief when she saw her  
son laying in bed, sound asleep. Quietly she closed the door, and went back  
to her own room. Her pulse was starting to get back to normal, and suddenly  
she discovered that she was still holding on to the candlestick. Letting out  
a nervous little laugh, she placed the stick where it belonged, and went to  
bed.  
  
It took her about an hour to be able to close her eyes, but around 5 am she  
finally fell asleep.  
  
~~~  
  
When Rachel entered the station after letting David off at school the next  
morning, she had already made up her mind. She would have to swollow her  
pride and agree to let Frank stay with her. Not that the whole  
Frank-staying-the-night-thing bothered her that much, it was more a question  
about principles and self-esteem. But those things didn't matter all that  
much if she was dead, did they?  
  
"Morning, Rachel!" the always cheerful Helen Blakemore greeted her as she  
passed the front counter.  
  
"Yeah, hi," Rachel muttered, not feeling up to a friendly chat this morning.  
  
Helen looked up at her, catching the uncertainty in her voice. "Something  
wrong?" she asked concerned.  
  
"Just about everything," Rachel replied defensively. "You seen Frank?"  
  
"Yeah, in your office," Helen nodded towards the stairs. "Listen, Rachel,"  
she added before Rachel headed for the stairs. "What's up? You look  
terrible."  
  
"Oh, thanks," Rachel replied sarcastically, knowing too well Helen was  
right. She had hardly slept that night, or the nights before for that  
matter. She looked like a natural disaster, no matter how much time she had  
spent in the bathroom, trying to cover the bags under her eyes. "It's a long  
story," she finally said. "I'd rather not talk about it right now, if you  
don't mind."  
  
Helen nodded. "OK. You know where to find me."  
  
"Thanks," Rachel smiled weakly as she headed up the stairs to the office.  
  
Frank was already hard at work, as hard at work as he could be, anyway. He  
looked up when Rachel entered, and exclaimed cheerfully, "Good morning,  
sunshine! You're late!"  
  
"Shut up, Holloway," came the reply.  
  
'Oops,' Frank thought. 'Wrong thing to say.' "What's up?" he asked  
curiously, noticing Rachel's tired face.  
  
"Look, Frank, as much as I hate it, I'm gonna let you move in with me - for  
the time being."  
  
Frank stared at her in disbelief. Frankly, he had never thought she would  
approve of the idea, let alone actually go through with it! "Really? Why? I  
mean - what made you change your mind?" Frank asked, still a bit schocked.  
  
Rachel sighed, and decided it would be best to tell him the whole story.  
  
Frank listened carefully, he didn't interrupt her once, something Rachel  
found rather strange.  
  
"Look," she told him firmly after finishing her story. "I still don't think  
this is necessary, and I certainly do not need *you* to look after me. I'm  
just doing this to avoid your and Helen's constant nagging. Alright?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, sure," Frank said, not wanting to say anything that would make  
her change her mind again. He wasn't entirely sure that was the only reason  
she'd let him stay, but it didn't matter, really. He had been worried about  
her - with good reason, it seemed - and he'd feel a lot more comfortable  
knowing he could protect her from whatever might happen.  
  
"What about David, then?" he asked, wondering what he'd say when Rachel once  
again brought her work home - litterally speaking this time.  
  
"Dad's gonna take him fishing up the coast for a week or so. He needs to get  
away from all of this for a while," Rachel replied, referring to the last  
days' events.  
  
"Yeah, that's probably a good idea," Frank agreed. It had to be hard on the  
kid, his life being turned upside-down like that. It wasn't fair, was it?  
  
"Mmm." Rachel muttered, arguing with herself whether to let him go or not.  
Of course he would be a lot safer away from the city, away from her - if she  
really was in danger, something she still doubted.  
  
On the other hand, was it wise to send him off like that, now that he needed  
her more than ever? Of course he would be with his grandfather, but still.  
They hadn't talked since Jonathon died, not really *spoken*, and she had a  
feeling they were drifting further and further away from each other. She  
could not let that happen, not again.  
  
"Rachel?"  
  
Her thoughts came to a sudden stop when she realized someone wanted her  
attention. "Huh?" She looked up at Helen, who was standing in the doorway.  
  
"Did you hear a word of what I just said?" she asked, curious to know what  
was *really* up with Rachel.  
  
"No, sorry," Rachel admitted. "What was it?"  
  
"Another body in the harbour," Frank replied. "Same as before."  
  
"Oh, great," Rachel sighed annoyed. "We've got to find a lead soon, before  
he takes out half of Sydney's population."  
  
"Well, let's get going then," Frank suggested, heading for the door with  
Rachel following close behind.  
  
~~~  
  
Rachel stood at a distance, arms crossed, watching the paramedics examine  
the girl. The forth in three days. This had to end. They had to find the guy  
who was behind all this. But in order to do that, they had to determine the  
other girls' identities first. Rachel was willing to bet next months' wages  
that they all had lost costudy of their kids. Damn. The air was cold despite  
the time of year, and a sudden shiver went down Rachel's spine. They had to  
nail him, for the children's sake.  
  
"Nah, nothing we haven't already guessed," Frank announced as he approached  
her. "This is starting to bore me."  
  
Rachel nodded silently.  
  
"There has to be a lead somewhere," Frank went on. "The guy who did this  
must have known the girls pretty well for them to tell him about the whole  
custody thing. I mean, it's nothing you go around telling everyone you meet,  
right?" He looked to Rachel for support, but she didn't say anything. "I  
dunno," he sighed. "Maybe they used the same gym or bakery or..."  
  
"Law firm."  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"They used the same law firm," Rachel repeated, louder this time. Suddenly  
it was all very clear to her. Where else would you get that sort of  
information unless the unhappy mother told you herself? "Maybe even the same  
lawyer," she continued. "Come on, Frank, let's check this out as soon as  
possible. I'm sure that's it!"  
  
"Law firm," Frank muttered while following his partner back to the car. "Now  
why didn't I think of that?"  
  
"Because I'm smarter than you, Holloway," Rachel smirked. "Let's go."  
  
~~~  
End part 4  
~~~  
  
Feedback to: [Camelot_001@hotmail.com][1]. Thanks!

[ To be continued... ]

   [1]: mailto:Camelot_001@hotmail.com



	5. It's a Beautiful Life, Rachel Goldstein ...

Thanks to Esme for beta reading!  
  
Details & disclaimer given in part 1.  
  
~~~  
It's a Beautiful Life, Rachel Goldstein  
by Hilde  
~~~

Part 5   
~~~ 

"You found anything yet?" Rachel asked curiously as she entered the Detectives' office, balancing two cups of hot coffee. 

""Yeah..." Frank nodded thoughtfully with a glance at the cup Rachel put in front of him. "Do you call this *coffee*?" he asked, suspiciously eyeing the contents of the cup. 

"Hey, don't make fun of my coffee!" Rachel mockingly tried to slap him over the head, but missed when Frank ducked. "Drink it!" she ordered, and Frank smilingly obeyed. 

"So, what did you come up with?" Rachel asked again, wanting to get back to the case at hand. She took a sip of her own coffee while awaiting an answer, and decided that the station was in desperate need of a new coffee machine. 

"You were right," Frank stated. 

"Of course," Rachel smiled contently. 

Frank raised his eyebrow at her remark, but did not enter into the subject. "All three girls were using lawyers from the same law firm during their battle for custody." He paused, receiving a "go-on-fast"-look from his partner. "It's called Anderson & Evans Associates. I assume you have heard about them?" He looked expectantly at her. 

Rachel almost spilled her coffee, but managed to save the cup before it fell. She stared at Frank for a moment, realising that the situation was getting way too personal for her liking. "Yeah..." she nodded slowly. "Yeah, I know them. That's where my poor, late ex-husband used to work. I knew they couldn't be trusted," she added, a bitter tone in her voice. 

~~~ 

After thinking everything through; the circumstances and the course the case was taking, Rachel had come to the conclusion that maybe it was not such a bad idea to let Frank stay for a while. Actually, she had been surprisingly happy about it – heck, it might even be fun. 

That was up until two minutes ago. Now she regretted ever letting him in through the front door. "Frank, what the *hell* are you doing?!" She surveyed the scene in front of her, hands on her hips and lightning in her eyes. 

"I'm cooking you dinner!" Frank replied, a bit offended that she actually had to ask what he was doing. "What does it look like I'm doing?" 

"It looks like you're trying your very best to ruin my kitchen, that's what it looks like!" Rachel exclaimed, entering the room while letting the sight in front of her sink in. 

The kitchen bench was hardly visible underneath all the packing, bits of food, saucepans and different sorts of utensils. What had once belonged inside the boxes and packings was now spread across the room, on the stove, in the sink and on the kitchen table, but most of it seemed to have landed on the floor. Not to mention Frank himself. His apron – or rather Rachel's apron – had changed its colour drastically, and his hair had turned gray due to the amount of – what, flour?? – which floated around in the air. For a moment Rachel considered setting the whole place on fire, since she probably never would get a clean kitchen again. 

"God Frank, look at this! How on earth did you have time to create all this mess? I was only gone 15 minutes!" She looked around again, not fully understanding what had happened. It had to be a nightmare. It was impossible for one single man to turn a room upside down like this while she was having a shower. But Frank always succeeded in doing the impossible, didn't he? Resigned, Rachel sunk down on the cleanest chair by the table and sighed deeply. 

"What?" Frank glanced around the room, not seeing what the problem was. "Okay, so it's a bit messy," he agreed. "But just wait till you taste my deliscious dinner! That'll take your mind off a few misplaced kitchen tools!" He grinned proudly at her. 

"A *bit messy*?!?" Rachel was close to screaming. "Frank, I cannot possibly live here anymore!" 

"That's taking it a little far, isn't it?" Frank picked up half a tomato lying on the bench, studying it carefully for a minute, a vicious smile forming on his lips. 

Rachel didn't notice, she was too busy yelling. "No, I don't think so! I'll have to get a whole new kitchen, and I'm telling you, they're not on sale these days! I swear Frank, if I've ever wanted to kill somebody, now is the time! You can –" She stopped short as the tomato splatted against her forehead and ran down her face, some of the fruit stabilizing itself on the tip of her nose. 

A complete silence filled the room. For what seemed like an eternity, both persons just stood there, none of them moving as much as a finger. Then Frank couldn't take it any more. His shoulders started to shake, and he desperately tried to control the twitches of his lips. But despite his efforts, his attempt to stay serious failed miserably. The sight of Rachel with tomatoe juice running down her face was just too hilarious. It started as a small chuckle, barely audible, then it grew stronger by the second, until he doubled over with laughter, having to reach for the bench for support. 

Rachel drew a deep, calming breath, determined not to let her anger show just yet. She wiped the fruit juice away from her forehead and nose, and smiled sweetly at Frank while waiting for him to regain his senses. "*That*, Holloway," she said quietly, almost a whisper, "was something you should *never* have done." 

Frank was too busy drawing in air between laughs to even notice the lethal look on Rachel's face, let alone take any precautions to avoid what was coming. Before he knew what had happened, he was coughing heavily, covered in something that seemed like wheat flour. 

"Thanks for the meal," Rachel smirked while carefully eyeing Frank, obviously content with the result. "Only lacking milk and yeast, and I can put you in the oven and make a bread out of you." 

Frank glared furiously at her, not yet able to talk. Finally the coughing seized, and he glanced around for the first and best thing to attack his partner with. He grabbed a boiled potato from a bowl and aimed. 

Rachel saw it coming. She made a dive for it, but not fast enough. The potato hit her in the shoulder, and left a nice little stain on her shirt. "Right, that's *it*!" she hissed. "If it's war you want, you got it!" 

The next few minutes were a mixture of flying vegetables, bouncing kitchen tools and a pair of screaming, laughing and coughing detectives. Rachel's complaints about her kitchen being a mess were completely forgotten as she now managed to at least triple the chaos – with a great help from Frank, of course. 

Finally all objects able to be thrown at another person had served its mission, but not until Rachel had attacked Frank with a cucumber, wanting to smack him over the head with it. Frank lost his footing when he slipped on a piece of lettuce on the floor, and in his eager for something to hold on to, he grabbed Rachel around the waist. Despite Rachel's yell, they ended up on the floor, Rachel on top of Frank. If all the food scattered across the floor had been put between them instead, they would have very much resembled a sandwich. 

"Francis James Holloway, I hate you," Rachel declared, out of breath, but not moving from Frank's stomach. 

"And I love you," Frank smiled sheepishly. Seeing the look of confusion on Rachel's face, he added, "But I'd feel a lot safer if you dropped that cucumber." 

Rachel glanced from Frank to the vegetable she was still holding in her hand, then back to Frank. And before either of them really knew what was happening, her lips were pressed against his. The cucumber fell from her hand and rolled across the floor as she affectionately ran her hands through his hair. 

Frank was in shock; in fact, he even tried objecting, but it was hard to speak with his mouth full of… well, full of Rachel. He wanted to pinch himself just to make sure he wasn't dreaming, but in fear of missing his arm and pinching Rachel instead, he decided against it. And if it was a dream, he hoped he would never wake up. 

Rachel finally drew away from him, in desperate need for air, and the magical moment (or rather minute) was gone. She looked him straight in the eyes, with a look that made Frank sure she was about to propose. She bent closer and whispered softly into his ear, barely audible, "Sweetheart… Get your butt away from my kitchen floor and clean this place up!" 

Frank sat up with a jerk, causing Rachel to fall off him and hit the floor beside him with a thump. "Ouch!" she complained, but Frank was already on his feet. 

"What the hell was that?" He glared down at her. 

"What?" Rachel returned the glare, though looking as innocent as she could. 

"What do you mean *what*?" Frank yelled. "That… That *kiss*!" He waved frantically with his arms, and Rachel had to concentrate on not bursting out laughing. 

"What kiss would that be, Frank?" she asked lightly while getting up from the floor. 

Frank stared incredulously at her. "Don't do that, Rachel…" he warned her. "Don't kiss me and then deny it afterwards!" 

Rachel shook her head. "I'm not denying anything, Frank, but I haven't kissed you. You must have been dreaming." She smiled sweetly at him. 

"What?!" Frank couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. There was no way he would let her pull a joke on him like that. "Rachel, you kissed me!" he stated intently. 

Rachel sent him a sideways glance. "Nah, you're kidding. I didn't kiss you." 

"Umph!" Not the smartest thing to say, but at the moment all words seemed to have left Frank's mind without a trace. "Umph… Umph!" he repeated, hardly able to control his still waving arms. 

"Yeah, I hear you keep saying that," Rachel told him. "But I don't think I know the language. What is it; Japanese? I think you'd better attend a course." She wiped some flour off his shoulder, then turned to leave. 

Eventually Frank managed to recover his wits, however he was no longer completely sure that Rachel had actually kissed him. Maybe she was right, maybe it was just his imagination running wild. Nah, that was impossible. He couldn't have imagined such a thing! Or could he…? "Hey, where are you going?" He suddenly noticed Rachel about to leave the room. 

She turned to look at him, clearly amused. "I'm going to have another shower. Do me a favour and make my kitchen liveable again, will you?" She sent him a dazzling smile, then disappeared out of sight. 

Frank was left beside the kitchen table, looking totally stunned.

~~~  
End part 5  
~~~  
  
Feedback to: Camelot_001@hotmail.com. Thanks!

[ To be continued... ]


End file.
